What roofing insurance questions should you ask the adjuster?
Short answer. Ask what your deductible is, whether the roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value, how much depreciation is held back and how to recover it, and what damage the adjuster counted on each slope. Get the estimate in writing and ask who makes the final coverage decision.
Ask your insurer before the inspection
- Is my deductible for this storm a flat amount or a percentage wind and hail deductible?
- Is my roof covered at replacement cost, actual cash value, or under a roof payment schedule?
- Do I have ordinance or law coverage for items the building code requires?
- Is there a deadline to finish the work and claim the held back depreciation?
Ask the adjuster on the roof
- Which slopes did you inspect, and how many hail hits did you find in each test square?
- Are you writing repair or replacement? If repair, how will the new shingles match the old ones?
- Did you include drip edge, starter strip, ridge cap, step flashing, pipe boots and vents?
- Did you note dents in gutters, downspouts, window screens, siding and other soft metals?
- Will an engineer or a second inspector be sent out?
- When will I receive the written estimate, and who decides coverage if we disagree?
Write down every answer with the date and the person's name. If the estimate arrives missing items, that record makes a supplement or reinspection request far easier, because you can point to what was said on the roof instead of arguing from memory.
It also pays to have your roofer there. When the contractor and adjuster walk the roof together they can agree on measurements, pitch and damage on the spot. Robust Roofing sends its licensed adjuster to these meetings for exactly that reason; its adjuster meeting guide covers what to have ready. For a full prep list, see how to prepare for the adjuster inspection.